Separable fastener



Jan. 27, 1931. P. A. ARONSON 7 1,790,129

SEPARABLE FASTENER Original Filed June 14, 1923 INVENTQR.

K/Q WM BY J7 z: I

I ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNITED STATES PETER A. ARONSON, OF DEVON,CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T HOOKLE SS FASTENERv PATENT OFFICE COMPANY, OFMEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA SEPARABLEFASTENEB original application This invention relates to separablefasteners of the slider controlled type and is a division of mycopending application Serial No. 645,223, filed June 14, 1923. (Patent1,671,921, issued May 29, 1928).

An object of the invention is-to enable compressible jaw members havinginterlocking projection and recess portions to be made of flat stripmaterial without requiring buli- '10 ing or other finishing operationsafter the fastener members are set on the stringer. Another object ofthe invention is to construct such a member so as to require a minimumnumber per unit length of tape. A-further object of the invention is toprovide an improved holding power on the corded edge of the tape withoutcutting either the cord or tape by providing each interlocking mem berwith spaced clamping jaws. Another object is to provide flexibility,whereby the engaged stringers can be bent laterally withoutdisengagement or distortion, as such function is very essential infasteners for many uses. In the several forms of the invention shownherein for purposes of illustration, the interlocking members are madefrom successive pieces of wire of generally fiattened cross section .bybeing cut oil to the the desired length, then bent up after beingstamped or perforated to provide a shell type of member each comprisingseparated pairs of compressible jaws for clamping to a tape, anoppositely disposed recess and projection, a. bridging elementconnecting the spaced pairs of jaws, and slider guiding meansparallelwith the tape and forming a track on which the slider moves.

According to a feature of the invention, the bridging element whichconnects the spaced pairs of jaws forms the slider guiding mcansQtheinterlocking projection and recess being formed in outwardly extendingend portions of the locking member. This construction provides a. firmgrip between opposite interlocking members when interlocked, facilitateslocking and unlocking, and increases lateral flexibility. The number ofinterlocking members per unit length of tape may be easily varied, whichis of 'ad-' filed'June 14, 1923, Serial No. 645,223, and in GreatBritain June 6, 1924 Divided and this application filed January 23,1928. Serial No. 248,676. Y

number of interlocking members per unit length is desirable, while forother uses a minimum number of such members is wanted. Eitherrequirement may be fulfilled simply by changing the dimensions of therectangle into which the metal strip is bent. I It is important in thistype of fastener that the locking members be clamped securely on thetape so as not to slip longitudinally or transversely, and yet they mustnot be clamped so tightly as to cut either the cord or tape. The cordededge of the tape is compressed or flattened by the compression of thejaws which causes the cord to bulge on either side. In this invention,by having each locking member held in place by. two pairs of spacedclamping jaws, the relative swelling of the tape within the lockingmember and between these spaced jaws is effective in holding the memberssecurely in position. With such an arrangement, the clamping force maybe distributed between the two pairs of jaws requiring less clampingaction in each pair whereby likelihood of cutting is lessened as well asthe danger of the tape not lying flat.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of my ;invention in a partially closedfastener;

Fig. 2 is a detail of one of the lockingmembers illustrated in ig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the locking member of Fig. 2 showing thesame secured to a tape;

Fig. 4 is an end View of the locking member shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a developed plan view of the locking member before being bent;

Fig. 6 is a developed plan view of another form of locking member beforebeing bent prising an interlocking projection 14 stan'iped -tached tothe stringers.

on one side and a' recess 15 with which the opposite locking memberscooperate. The flat wire blank from which these members are formed hassubstantially parallel longitudinal edges and jaws 16 and 17 directlyconnected by a bridging element 18 which bridging element at the sametime forms a guiding means or track on which the slider 13 moves, asshown in Fig. 1. The projection 14 is formed by bending an end portionof the strip while the recess 15 is also located adjacent the endportion. The portions of the strip containing the recess and projectionare shown in Figs. 1 to 4 as being in the form of fingers angularlydisposed to the plane of the jaws 16 and 17 and are disposed atsubstantially the same angle. It will be noted that the recessf-15 andthe projection 14 are centrally located, that is, substantially midwaybetween the side edges of the element as viewed in Fig. 4. As seen inFigs. 2 and 3,

it will also be noted that the projection extends out further from thejaws than the recess, thus providing a staggered interlocking relation.As shown in Fig. 5, the jaw members 16 and 17 are formed by stamping outportions to fit the corded edges of the tape, and these portions areconnected by the slot 19 with intermediate inwardly extended portions20.After being bent to overlapping position the pairs of jawsj 16 and 17may be spread to receive the corded edge of the tape and then clampedthereon with the flat ends of the portions 20 gripping the oppositefaces of the tapelO. In this construction the recess 15 is substantiallylarger than the projection 14 so that each projection may easily enterthe cooperating recess and move freely therein without coming apart.This reduces the friction between the cooperating members and increasesthe flexibility in locking and unlocking and in lateral flexing. Whenthe closed fastener is stretched or otherwise put under strain thecooperating locking members tend to ride one on the other and thuscumulatively increase the locking eflect due to the inability of themembers to longitudinally separate at their rear ends where atp Thestrain at the back due to the riding at the front is taken up byslighttension on\ the tape between the members. This action is promoted byreason of the angular position of the cooperating projection and recessportions.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive,each locking member 22 is likewise bent from a flat wire blank providedwith jaw portions 23 and 24, a projection '25 and a recess 26; In thisform the metal blank is bent to form a substantially closed rectangle,that is, it is provided with two bridging portions 27 and.28 connectingthe spaced jaw members. The projection 25 is formed by bending an end ofthe blank as is the case with the modification illustrated in Figs. 1 to5, and the pairs of jaws in this locking member are formed within theblank and attached to the stringer in a manner similar to that describedin the modification illustrated in Figs. 1' to '5 by stamping out theportions 29 and 30 connected by the slot 31, bending, spreading andsubsequently clamping the jaws in place. Since the sides of theprojection 25 are substantially straight, at least one side of therecess 26 is preferably tapered to facilitate entry of the straightwalls of the projection. This tapered side of the recess is shown at 32in Fig. 8. The bridging portions 27 lie at the back of the corded edges11 of the stringers and form a track for guiding the slider 13.

Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned the simplicityof construetion .whereby a fastener member is stamped from a fiat wireand bent to the desired shape without the previously necessary finishingoperations, inasmuch as the sides of the wire form the side faces of thejaw.members. The number of locking members per unit length of stringermay be varied by controlling the length of .the bridging element. Theuse of spaced clamping jaws provides a double grip on the tape andlessens the liability of the locking member slipping along the tape, andthe space between the pairs of clamping jaws provides a suitablelocation for a bulge in the corded edge which is caused by the clampingaction of the jaws and is helpful to retain the locking member in lace.The formation of the jaws is accomp ished with a minimum waste ofmaterial. Reduced friction and longer. life for the slider are some ofthe advantages resulting from the increased metal track or sliderguiding means provided by the bridging element of the lockmg member.Another advantage resides in the lightness of weight of this type offastener making it especially adapted for use in largersizes. With thedouble grip upon the tape less clamping action in-each pair of jaws isnecessary in order to prevent the locking member from movinglongitudinally on the tape. With the locking members of the hollow type,it may bedesirable to use one or more overliapping flaps as illustrated,for example, in 1g. 5 of Patent No. 1,4;32,219 to Sundback, datedOctober 17, 1922, to prevent granular or other material from passingthrough the locking members, and leaking out of the container orwhatever the fastener is applied to.

Various changes may be made in the detener comprising a strip ofmaterial bent back on itself, having integral means at the bend forclampingit securely on a stringer. and having locking means adjacentthe-ends to engage locking means on an opposite stringer.

V 2. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising a flatstripof material bent back on itself, having integral means at the bend forclamping it securely to a stringer, and having a projection and recessspaced from the bent portion.

3. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising a flat strip ofmaterial bent to provide outwardly extending ends connected bya'bridging element, said bridging element having a portion cut out tosecure the member to a stringer, one of said outwardly extending endshaving a projection and the other having a recess.

4. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising a strip ofmaterial bent back on itself to provide pairs-of clamping jaws, aprojection adjacent one pair and a recess adjacent the other pair, and abridging element directly connecting said pairs of jaws,

the recess and projection being formed in' the end portions of saidstrip.

5. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising a strip ofmaterial bent back on itself to provide a projection and a recess in theend portions, a bridging element connecting said end portions, and jawsin the bridging element adapted to be compressed on the corded edge of astringer with the bridging element lying substantially parallel to saidedge.

6. A locking member for a slide type fas tener comprising a fiat stripof material bent to overlapping position, having a clamping portion cutout at the bend for securing the member to a stringer. and having aprojection and recess spaced from said clamping portion.

7. A locking member for a slide type-fastener having compressible jawsfor clamping the member to a stringer, and separate interlockingport-ions projecting downwardly away from said jaws in substantially thesame direction throughout their lengths, one of, said portions providingan interlocking projection and the other of said portions-having aninterlocking recess formed therein.

8. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising a strip ofmaterial bent back on itself toprovidc a bridging element and projectionand recess portions disposed at an angle to said bridging element, andcompressible jaws formed in said strip of material for clamping saidmember to the corded edge of a stringer with the bridging element lyingadjacent and substantially parallel to said corded edge.

9. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising a strip ofmaterial bent back on itself in the middle and having end portions, oneof which is provided with a projection and the other of which isprovided with a projection receivingrecess, and compressibleclamping'jaws formed in said member at the bend.- I

10. A locking member for a slide type, fastener comprising a. flat stripof material bent back on itself in the middle and having outwardlyextending'substantially parallel ends, one of which is provided with aprojection and the other of which is provided with a projectionreceiving recess, and pairs of compressible clamping jaws formed in saidmember at the bend.

11. In a slide fastener an interlocking member comprising a strip ofmaterial bent back on itself and having. integral compressible.

means at the bend for attaching itsecurely to a fabric strip, the freeends of said strip projecting outwardly from said attaching means in astraight line and thence at an angle thereto and forming means forinterlocking with cooperating members.

12. In a slide fastener a pair of stringers each comprising a fabricstrip and a series of interlocking members secured to said strip, eachof said members on one stringer comprising a. portion extendinglaterally of said stringer and provided with means for clamping it tothe edge of said fabric strip and a plurality of fingers extending inthe same general direction outwardly from said edge and at an acuteangle thereto throughout their lengths to provide means for interlocking with said members of the other series.

13. In a slide fastener a pair of stringers each comprising a fabricstrip and a series of interlocking members secured to said strip, eachof said members in one series comprising a body portion provided withcompressible means for clamping it to the edge of said fabric strip, anda plurality of fingers projecting from said body portion in the samedirection throughout their lengths to provide means for interlockingwith members'of the other series, one of said fingers'providing aninterlocking projection and the other of said fingers having aninterlocking recess formedtherein.

14. In a slide fastener, the construction set forth in claim 13 whereinall of said interlocking members on both stringers are of llkeconstruction.

15. In a slide fastener an interlocking member comprising a strip ofmaterial bent back on itself-and having means adjacent the bend formingclamping jaws compressed on the edge of said strip for attaching themember securely to the fabric strip, said strip being bent so as to formtwo parallel portions ex-- tending laterally of the bend and th outerportion for securing it to the edge of. said' free ends of said portionsbeing bent so as to extendat an angle to said parallel portions.

16. In a slide fastener a pair of stringers saclrcomprising a fabricstrip and a series of interlocking members secured to each of saidstrips, all-said interlocking members being'of the constructionset forthin claim 15.

17. In a slide fastener a pair of stringers each comprising a fabricstrip and a series of interlocking members secured to said strip,

each of said members comprising a strip of material bent back on itselfto form parallel portions for receiving and clamping the edge of saidfabric strip, and k the ends of said strips being bent at an acute angleto said parallel portions and extending outwardly of the edge of saidstrip, each of said ends being formed to provide interlocking portionsfor cooperation with similar members of the other series. 7

18. In a slide fastener, a fabric strip, interlocking, members along theedge of said strip, each of said members having an attaching strip, aninterlocking recess centrally located with respect to and set in fromthe side edges of the locking member and spaced from the edge of saidstrip, and an interlocking projection also centrally located withrespect to and set in from the side edges of the locking member andspaced from the edge of the strip farther than said recess.

19. In a slide fastener, a flexible stringer, interlocking members alongthe edge of said stringer, each having clamping portions for 19th day ofJanuary, A. D. 1928.

securing it to the'stringer, and an interlock; ing recess and projectionboth centrally located with respect to and set in from the s1de edges ofthe locking member and spaced from the stringer and out of substantiallongitudinal alinement for cooperation with. a recess and a projectionof an opposite interlocking member.

Signed at Riverclifi'e, Devon, in the county of New Haven, and State ofConnecticut, this PETER A. ARONSO'NQ

